Thursday, December 29, 2005

Wow! What a roller coaster ride last night! Great win for the Huskers over a tough Michigan team who truly fought to the last second trying to turn the tables on the Huskers. That last play kinda reminded me of the infamous Cal-Stanford game where a series of laterals ended with a Cal player scoring the winning touchdown and running into a Stanford trombone player in the end zone after the clock had run out. Started to look like deja vu, but fortunately the Huskers ran the Michigan player out of bounds at the 13 yard line to clinch the victory. Congratulations to the Huskers on a great finish to a good season, and the start of another era of winning seasons and bowl appearances!Go Big Red (White and Blue),Carl

========BIG RED REVIEW: HUSKERS WIN ALAMO BOWL...Courtesy: Scott Bruhn/NU Media RelationsNebraska celebrates its 32-28 win over Michigan during the official Alamo Bowl trophy presentation on Wednesday night.Big Red Review is your source for complete postgame coverage of Nebraska's 32-28 win over No. 20 Michigan to claim the Alamo Bowl title at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, on Wednesday night. In addition to a complete game story from Nebraska's clash with the Wolverines, Huskers.com provides complete game statistics, postgame notes, quotes and photos from the game.Nebraska vs. Michigan Alamo Bowl Game StoryNebraska vs. Michigan Alamo Bowl Statistics (HTML)Nebraska Head Coach Bill Callahan Postgame QuotesNebraska Player QuotesNebraska Postgame NotesMichigan Postgame NotesMichigan Head Coach Lloyd Carr Postgame QuotesNebraska Season StatisticsNebraska Season Photo Galleries========NEBRASKA AVOIDS DISASTER WITH WIN OVER MICHIGAN (from 12/29 SJMN)...Mercury News Wire ServicesZac Taylor threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Terrence Nunn with 4:29 left, and Nebraska survived Michigan's lateral-filled, game-ending play to beat the No. 20 Wolverines 32-28 at the Alamo Bowl on Wednesday in San Antonio.The game ended on a bizarre play, with Michigan's Chad Henne throwing a short pass and his teammates lateraling eight times up and down the field before the play fizzled out with Titus Brothers shoving Tyler Ecker out of bounds at the Nebraska 13. Extra players and some coaches from both teams were on the field as the play finished.``I'm thankful we didn't get penalized,'' Coach Bill Callahan said. ``We thought the game was over, but the ball was still going down on the field. We were very fortunate we stayed alert and made the play to end the game.''Nebraska (8-4) overcame a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter and won the Alamo Bowl for the third time in six years and finished a season with three consecutive victories for the first time since 1999.``This puts us back on the map,'' said Cory Ross, who ran for 161 yards.Henne threw three touchdown passes and also ran for a score. His 7-yard scramble with 11:40 left gave the Wolverines a 28-17 lead.But Nebraska used a long punt return and a turnover to end Michigan's season with another disappointment. The Wolverines, ranked No. 3 in September, finished 7-5, with their losses coming by a combined 21 points.========NEBRASKA BACK ON THE MAP AFTER ALAMO WIN...ERIC GAY, AP Nebraska coach Bill Callahan celebrates with his players after the Huskers survived a wild final play against Michigan.ERIC OLSONAssociated PressSAN ANTONIO - If Nebraska returns to national prominence next season, the Cornhuskers will remember the Alamo Bowl - especially the frantic final play. Zac Taylor threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Terrence Nunn with 4:29 left, and Nebraska survived Michigan's lateral-filled, game-ending play to beat the No. 20 Wolverines 32-28 on Wednesday night."This puts us back on the map," said Cory Ross, who ran for 161 yards.The game ended on a bizarre play, with Michigan's Chad Henne throwing a short pass and his teammates lateraling eight times up and down the field before the play fizzled out with Titus Brothers shoving Tyler Ecker out of bounds at the Nebraska 13. Extra players and some coaches from both teams were on the field as the play finished."I'm thankful we didn't get penalized," coach Bill Callahan said. "We thought the game was over, but the ball was still going down on the field. We were very fortunate we stayed alert and made the play to end the game."Nebraska overcame a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter."We showed them that Nebraska is back on the rise," Taylor said.The Huskers (8-4) won the Alamo for the third time in six years and finished a season with three straight victories for the first time since 1999.Henne threw three touchdown passes and also ran for a score. His 7-yard scramble with 11:40 left gave the Wolverines a 28-17 lead.But Nebraska used a long punt return and a turnover to end Michigan's season with another disappointment. The Wolverines, ranked as high as No. 3 in September, finished 7-5, with their losses coming by a combined 21 points."We just didn't finish," Michigan running back Mike Hart said. "That's been a problem all year."Ross highlighted his night with a 31-yard touchdown that pulled Nebraska to 28-25 with 8:08 left. That score was set up by Cortney Grixby's 28-yard punt return to the Michigan 38."It was a huge hole that Greg Austin set up for me," Ross said of his touchdown. "It was there. There wasn't anything crazy I had to do other than run."The Huskers took the lead after Henne fumbled and Ola Dagundaro returned the ball to the Michigan 17. Three plays later, Taylor connected with Nunn for his third touchdown pass and second to Nunn.Michigan drove to the Nebraska 18, but Zackary Bowman tipped away Henne's fourth-down pass to Mario Manningham."The turnovers were really monumental," said Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, whose team lost two fumbles and had an interception. "The offense was outstanding in the first half. We gave our offense some opportunities but didn't capitalize on it."Taylor was 14 of 31 for 167 yards, with two interceptions. He was sacked four times and hit hard on many other occasions."We don't like to see him take hits," Callahan said. "He's a courageous young man. He stays right in there in the pocket. There's flurry all around him, he stays as calm as any quarterback I've coached."Henne, 20-of-42 for 219 yards, erased a 17-14 deficit in the third quarter with a 21-yard pass to Manningham. Henne's touchdown run made it 28-17.Nebraska, back at a bowl after having its NCAA-record run of 35 straight postseason appearances end last year, ran its record to 5-0 in games at the Alamodome. The Huskers have won three bowls in San Antonio and two Big 12 championships."Something's in the air down here," Ross said. "I think I'm going to move here."The Huskers are 13-10 in Callahan's two seasons after beating Kansas State, Colorado and Michigan to finish the season. They haven't been in the Top 25 since the end of the 2003 season."We have something special going here, so we're just going to keep going," Taylor said.Hart, who was injured most of the season, led Michigan with 74 yards on 19 carries.The game was tied 14-14 at halftime, and Michigan benefited from a third-quarter video review that overturned a Nebraska touchdown and forced the Huskers to settle for Jordan Congdon's 20-yard field goal. Taylor's 3-yard pass to Nunn was disallowed when it was ruled that Nunn reeled in the ball after it hit the ground.The Wolverines then marched 58 yards in six plays to take a 21-17 lead. Henne completed passes of 12 and 18 yards, and got 15 more yards on Titus Adams' roughing-the-passer penalty, before Henne hit Manningham for a touchdown.The Alamo Bowl is sponsored by MasterCard.========NEBRASKA'S COMEBACK WILL BE ONE TO REMEMBERBy Dirk ChatelainWorld-Herald Staff WriterSAN ANTONIO - Marching band drummers and defensive tackles and little kids in red jerseys stomped celebratory balloons. Fireworks sparkled above the 50-yard line.

NU coach Bill Callahan celebrates with his team after winning the Alamo Bowl Wednesday night.A sea - make that a lake - of red thundered "Husker Power." Titus Adams and Barry Cryer cradled the Alamo Bowl trophy like an infant.For the first time in many a winter, Nebraska football and its legion of followers can hibernate with a smile. The Huskers, who spit and sputtered through three straight losses late in the season, somehow, some way, outlasted Michigan 32-28 Wednesday in the Alamo Bowl."I can't be any prouder of this team the way they fought and came back," Nebraska coach Bill Callahan shouted to a pro-Husker crowd afterward.The last time Nebraska won its last three games was 1999. The Huskers opened the ensuing fall ranked No. 1 in the country. That won't happen in 2006.But the seed of redemption, a seed planted in the foothills of the Rockies a month ago, sprouted on a warm December night under the dome lights for all this football-loving, ESPN-watching country to see.Few - even those who wondered for so long if Big Red had the right man at the top or the right quarterback or the right attitude - could question that.Few could question a team that trailed 28-17 in the fourth quarter against the winningest program in college football history and rallied with two key turnovers and two key touchdowns that commenced a New Year's-like jubilation, the kind that seemed a stranger since that morbid winter night in Pasadena four years ago."This is another huge building block for our program," said linebacker Lance Brandenburgh.Whether the seed survives this cold, hard winter and then programs like Texas and USC, well, that's a topic for another day. Just like the question of what the heck happened on the last play when Michigan almost mastered its impression of Cal-Stanford '82.On this night, in this fair city where thousands of Midwestern families spent thousands of dollars and chanted "Go Big Red" thousands of times, Nebraska stamped itself back on the national map."I don't know what the ramifications will be," Callahan said. "But I can tell you about the excitement in that locker room. We've been through quite a bit of adversity this year and to culminate this season with this type of victory feels very good."The key plays in the fourth quarter alone were almost too many to count.There was Cory Ross' 31-yard burst off left tackle to cut the Michigan lead to 28-25. There was Blake Tiedtke's sack and forced fumble of UM quarterback Chad Henne that handed an inconsistent Husker offense the short field in the final minutes.There was Zac Taylor's strike to Terrence Nunn on third-and-six from the Michigan 14-yard line to boost NU to its first lead since early in the third quarter.The biggest: On fourth-and-nine from the Nebraska 19 with 2:39 left, Zack Bowman tipped away a Henne pass to Mario Manningham at the goal line, all but ending Michigan's hopes - the fact that pass interference could've been called mattered little to the shirtless dudes in the crowd who painted red their chests.Nebraska and Michigan hadn't met on a football field since the Fiesta Bowl, Jan. 1, 1986. The score that day: Wolverines 27, Huskers 23.Twenty years was too long for a rematch. These two traditional titans had experienced their share of nail-biters in 2005.Wednesday's may have taken the cake, though, in part because the Huskers never quit, a mindset epitomized by Taylor, senior I-back Cory Ross and a decimated group of Blackshirts.The first-year quarterback has experienced the full spectrum of emotions in 2005.He looked suspect in September. He torched the record books against Iowa State. He missed one too many opportunities against his hometown Sooners.He was knocked out of the Kansas State game. He played like an All-American at Colorado. The Alamo Bowl illustrated a microcosm of his season, and perhaps Nebraska's.On NU's second drive, Taylor punished Michigan for an ill-timed blitz. He found Terrence Nunn on a hot read over the middle. Nunn broke a tackle and raced to the end zone.But before Taylor could find that rhythm that carried him to 392 yards at Colorado, he threw two interceptions on two straight plays. He missed Nunn deep down the sideline. He suffered several shellackings from Michigan's beefy defensive linemen.Midway through the second quarter, after five Nebraska possessions without a first down, Michigan's defense had taken control.But Taylor came back, starting with a perfect strike through traffic to Nunn on third-and-nine. Taylor danced in the pocket before finding a hole and shooting a laser that gained 25."He's a courageous young man," Callahan said. "He's like the eye in the hurricane. There's flurry all around, and he stays as calm and as poised as any quarterback I've ever coached."Taylor capped a seven-play, 70-yard drive when he fired to trusty Nate Swift over the middle. Tie game.That's when Ross stepped in, refusing to let his career end quietly. He moved as quickly, as gracefully as he had in months. He finished with 161 yards on 28 carries; 102 yards came after halftime.He sprinted around left end for 25 yards to set up a field goal early in the third quarter. He burst 31 yards off left tackle for another score with 8:08 left after Michigan had seized a 28-17 lead.Then the Blackshirts stepped up. Kevin Cosgrove, NU's defensive coordinator, told his injury-bitten bunch it had to create a turnover. Had to give the offense a short field.Senior linebacker Adam Ickes had the right idea when he stripped a Wolverine at midfield, but Nebraska couldn't convert the turnover.The Husker offense earned another chance after Tiedtke stripped Henne inside the UM 20 with six minutes left, leading to Taylor's third touchdown pass.Henne responded, directing a drive into the Husker red zone in the final three minutes before Bowman broke up the fourth-down pass.The Wolverines got one last chance with two seconds left, but a bizarre desperation play that included seven pitches and a fumble ended at the Nebraska 13-yard line after - yes, after - a mass of joyous Huskers had already rushed the field.Officials forgave them, for this party had been a long time comin'. Go to the Omaha World Herald website - http://www.omaha.com • Photo gallery from the Alamo Bowl • Audio clips from the post-game news conferenceAlso:Wacky play almost results in MU score2005-'06 college football bowl results, schedulesZac survives Michigan sack attack========An Alamo to rememberBY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star http://www.journalstar.com/Nebraska endured an up-and-down regular season, finishing on an ultra-high note last month at Colorado. So perhaps it was fitting that the Huskers fought through an Alamo Bowl consisting of several mood swings, emerging with wide smiles following a 32-28 triumph over Michigan before 62,016 spectators Wednesday night at the Alamodome, plus a national television audience. Talk about it at Life in the Red More Big Red coverage at Husker ExtraCory Ross (4) prepares to stiffarm Michigan's Jamar Adams (22) on a second-quarter run. (Eric Gregory)“We said before the game that we’d learn and grow from this (no matter the outcome),” Nebraska coach Bill Callahan said. “This will give us more confidence playing big-time teams.”Nobody embodied the roller-coaster nature of this contest more than Nebraska quarterback Zac Taylor. He was pressured in the pocket all game long and threw two interceptions, but he saved his best for last. Taylor gunned a 13-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Terrence Nunn for the game winner with 4:29 remaining in the contest. Taylor finished 14-for-31 passing for 167 yards and three touchdowns.Nebraska senior safety Blake Tiedtke set up his team’s final touchdown by knocking the ball from Michigan quarterback Chad Henne as he attempted a pass in the pocket. Defensive tackle Ola Dagunduro picked up the pigskin and rumbled 13 yards to the Michigan 16-yard line.“They came up huge,” Callahan said of the Husker defense. “I have to tell you, we put them in some bad, bad positions tonight, both on offense and special teams.” Husker senior I-back Cory Ross, who rushed 28 times for 161 yards on the night, had pulled Nebraska within 28-25 with a 31-yard touchdown run with 8:06 remaining.The touchdown was set up by Cortney Grixby’s 28-yard punt return. Michigan (7-5) had seemed to seize control on Henne’s 7-yard touchdown scramble, pushing the Wolverines’ lead to 28-17 with 11:40 remaining.Nebraska, a team that played from behind in games much of the season, kept throwing punches and eventually was rewarded with a satisfying victory, pushing its record to 8-4 a year after finishing 5-6 and out of the bowl business.“There’s a lot of grit on this football team, and I’m very proud of that,” Callahan said. Ross referred to Nebraska’s team mantra of being “all-day fighters.”“We did that all season long,” he said.After a 14-14 tie at halftime, Nebraska got a field goal in the third quarter, which Michigan answered with a touchdown, setting up the wild fourth quarter. The game ended on a bizarre note, with Michigan desperately throwing lateral after lateral in a last-gasp attempt to reach the end zone. The Wolverines’ final play covered 62 yards, with Tyler Ecker being pushed out of bounds at the Nebraska 13, with dozens of Huskers already on the field thinking the game was over.“I thought they were down six or seven times, and they kept popping up,” Husker linebacker Corey McKeon said.Nebraska improved to 5-0 all-time in the Alamodome, while Michigan lost five games in a season for the first time in three decades.The Huskers ended the season riding a three-game winning streak, the first time the program has managed that feat since closing the 1999 campaign with six straight triumphs.Michigan and Nebraska were tied 14-14 at halftime after being deadlocked 7-7 after one quarter. Taylor threw two interceptions —both to cornerback Leon Hall — and Michigan made Nebraska pay for Taylor’s second misfire.After Hall’s second interception gave Michigan possession at the Nebraska 28, the Wolverines needed only three plays to reach the end zone, on tight end Mike Massey’s 16-yard reception.Nebraska didn’t flinch. Taylor rifled a 25-yard completion to Nunn on third-and-9. Ross then sprinted around right end for 19 yards, and a Michigan late-hit penalty moved the ball to the Wolverines’ 10.Two plays later, Taylor zipped a 14-yard TD strike to wideout Nate Swift running a crossing route. Nebraska established itself early in the first quarter, opening scoring on Nunn’s 52-yard, catch-and-run reception off a quick slant over the middle. Nunn broke loose of free safety Brandon Harrison’s missed tackled and sprinted into open field.Michigan answered on its ensuing possession, thanks to Steve Breaston’s Alamo Bowl-record 69-yard kickoff return to the Nebraska 30. The Wolverines needed five plays to reach paydirt, scoring on tight end Tyler Ecker’s 13-yard reception.

========THREE HUSKERS HONORED BY COLLEGIATE BASEBALL...Courtesy: Scott Bruhn/NU Media RelationsBrett Jensen was named a preseason All-American by Collegiate BaseballThree Huskers Honored by Collegiate BaseballLincoln – A trio of Husker baseball players were honored Tuesday, as they were selected to the Collegiate Baseball’s preseason All-America team. The honorees included a pair of first-team selections in starting pitcher Joba Chamberlain and closer Brett Jensen. The three pitchers are a major reason why the Huskers were picked fourth in the publication’s top-40 preseason poll released last week. Chamberlain, who was a second-team pick by the NCBWA earlier this month, turned in an impressive first season at NU, going 10-2 with a 2.81 ERA to earn first-team All-Big 12 honors. A projected first-round pick in next June’s draft, Chamberlain struck out 130 in 118.2 innings in 2005, including a 13-strikeout effort against Miami. He also picked up the Huskers’ first-ever CWS win with a victory over Arizona State in Omaha.Jensen, a third-team pick by the NCBWA, is one of the nation’s top closers after saving a school-record 16 games in 2005. He posted a 2-5 record and a 1.96 ERA in 33 games. He was 16-of-17 in save chances, ranked third nationally in saves in 2005 and is the nation’s top returnee in saves from a year ago.Dorn enjoyed the finest freshman pitching season in school history, going 12-2 with a 2.16 ERA in 104 innings of work. The Grand Island, Neb., native led all freshmen nationally in wins and ranked among the Big 12 leaders in ERA and opponent batting average (.199), as he earned third-team All-America honors in 2005. He was also a second-team preseason pick by the NCBWA.The Huskers will begin the 2006 campaign on Feb. 16 against Charleston Southern, while the home opener against Alabama is set for Friday, March 10.========HUSKERS RANKED FOURTH IN PRESEASON BASEBALL POLL...Courtesy: Scott Bruhn/NU Media RelationsAndy Gerch leads NU into the 2006 campaignTUCSON, Ariz. – The Nebraska baseball team was picked fourth in Collegiate Baseball’s preseason rankings released Friday.The Huskers, who won a school-record 57 games and reached the College World Series for the third time in five seasons, welcome back 15 letterwinners from a year ago, including All-American pitchers Joba Chamberlain and Johnny Dorn along with regional MVP Andy Gerch.The Huskers were one of four Big 12 teams ranked in the top-40, including three teams in the top-15. Defending NCAA champion Texas was picked first by the publication, while Missouri (14), Baylor (23) and Oklahoma (29) were also tabbed by the publication. The "Collegiate Baseball" Newspaper poll is the oldest college baseball poll. Its birth took place during the 1957 college baseball season.Nebraska begins the 2006 season on Thursday, Feb. 16, when the Huskers take on Charleston Southern, while the home opener is set for Friday, March 10 against Alabama.The Nebraska baseball program will hold its annual coaches clinic on Jan. 13-14, and for more information and how to register, contact the NU baseball office at 402-472-2269.Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's NCAA Div. I Pre-Season Poll (As of Dec. 23, 2005) Rank School ('05 Final Record) Points Final '05 Rank1. Texas (56-16) 496 12. Florida (48-23) 492 23. Oregon St. (46-12) 490 74. Nebraska (57-15) 489 65. Rice (45-19) 487 166. Clemson (43-23) 484 137. North Carolina (41-19-1) 482 218. Florida St. (53-20) 479 159. Cal. St. Fullerton (46-18) 476 910. Georgia Tech. (45-19) 475 1011. Miami, Fla. (41-19-1) 473 1412. Arizona St. (42-25) 470 313. Pepperdine (41-23) 469 2314. Missouri (40-23) 467 -15. Louisiana St. (40-22) 466 1916. Long Beach St. (37-22) 463 1817. South Carolina (41-23) 461 2618. Florida Atlantic (37-24) 459 -19. Tennessee (46-21) 458 820. Mississippi (48-20) 456 1121. Southern California (41-22) 455 1722. Notre Dame (38-24-1) 453 -23. Baylor (46-24) 450 424. Tulane (56-12) 449 525. Stanford (34-25) 447 -26. Wichita St. (51-24) 444 2727. Texas Christian (41-20) 443 2928. Winthrop (44-22) 440 -29. Oklahoma (35-26) 438 -30. Southern Miss. (41-21) 435 -31. Arizona (39-21) 434 1232. Houston (29-30) 430 -33. Arkansas (39-22) 428 -34. Mississippi St. (42-22) 427 -35. San Francisco (38-18) 425 -36. San Diego (30-27-1) 422 -37. Stetson (35-28) 419 -38. Washington (33-22) 415 -39. Georgia (30-25) 413 -40. Fresno St. (30-29) 409 -========

Courtesy: Scott Bruhn/NU Media RelationsNU Head Coach Bill Callahan (right) and Michigan Head Coach Lloyd Carr (left) addressed the Alamo Bowl media Tuesday.San Antonio--The Nebraska football team concluded preparations for Wednesday’s Alamo Bowl with an hour-long walkthrough at the Alamodome Tuesday afternoon. The day’s activities also included a team photo, as well a kickoff luncheon and head coaches’ press conference.

NU Head Coach Bill Callahan and Michigan Head Coach Lloyd Carr addressed the media and both spoke about the upcoming game pitting two of the nation’s all-time winningest programs. Both coaches said their teams are looking forward to the classic matchup.

“This is a great game for our football team because we are a young team,” Callahan said. “This is a great learning experience for us no matter how the outcome is decided. It will be a great experience for us. Having not been in a bowl game a year ago, I know our players are excited about the challenge. I also know going against a great team like Michigan will allow us to prepare for next season, when we face teams such as USC early in the season and Texas in the conference season.”

“Nebraska is one of those teams we’ve always looked at in the way they play the game, the way they compete and the way they conduct that program,” Carr said. “I think those factors have been a real asset for our team in terms of they way we’ve approached this game.”

Carr also spoke about the Nebraska defense featuring what he called the best defensive front they will face this season.

“They have a very fine defensive front, and I think this is the best that we will have played,” Carr said. “They lead the nation in sacks, and I think that alone tells you the challenge that we have. Certainly our ability to run the football and be a balanced offensive football team in this game is a key for us.”

“They have tremendous balance,” Callahan said. “They have the ability to knock you off the ball. They have that ability inside to dominate the line of scrimmage, so we are going to be challenged in every aspect. We are going to have to respond to those challenges offensively.”

Nebraska and Michigan finally meet on the field Wednesday at 5 p.m. PST. The game will be televised nationally by ESPN.

Friday, December 23, 2005

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year and Holiday Greetings!

Lots of stuff to pass along, so I'll try to be as quick as St. Nick. The big news since my last email was the volleyball team's run at another national title, but the Washington Huskies were the better team in the finals. Congratulations to our team...they not only had a great season, but our coach was named Coach of the Year, 4 of the team were All-Americans and Christina Houghtelling was named the NCAA Player of the Year..way to go! And don't forget to gather at your favorite watch site next Wednesday to watch the Huskers take on the Michigan Wolverines in the Alamo Bowl. Details below.Go Big Red (I knew Santa was a Husker fan!),

Carl

And please say a prayer for all of those in harm's way who are away from their families this holiday season, and protecting our ability to celebrate in peace.

Watch Parties for the Alamo Bowl...Looks like our watch sites will be active next Wednesday night (28th) for the Alamo Bowl. Steve Curry is trying to generate a red-clad group at Final-Final in San Francisco, and Jack's Brewing Company in Fremont will have the big screen on for Husker fans who can make it there for the 5 p.m. start time. Go Huskers...beat Michigan!

NEW WEBSITE!!!!Our chapter has been without a website for over a year, but thanks to Brian Dehning's efforts (one of our alumni chapter board members and now webmaster), we once again have a very nice and easy to use website. Take a look and provide him with any suggestions or comments you may have through the email link on the website. Here's the link: http://www.BayAreaHuskers.org THANKS BRIAN!!!

The Nebraska football team left Lincoln Thursday morning for San Antonio to continue preparations for the 2005 Alamo Bowl.

Lincoln - The Nebraska football team left Lincoln on Thursday morning to begin its on-site preparations for the 2005 Alamo Bowl next week. The Huskers will call San Antonio home from Dec. 23 through Dec. 28. Nebraska (7-4) will meet the Michigan Wolverines (7-4) on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at 5 p.m. PST in the Alamodome. The game will be televised nationally by ESPN.

For a complete schedule of Nebraska events in San Antonio, game notes, updated player biographies and a complete review of the Huskers' 2005 season, click here for a link to the Nebraska Alamo Bowl Media Guide.

For more information on the Huskers, click here to read transcripts of Nebraska's pre-bowl press conference in Lincoln, which includes quotes from Husker Head Coach Bill Callahan and select Nebraska players.===========

HUSKERS TAB BRANDENBURGH STARTER...

Lance Brandenburgh has seen action in seven games this season, including the past six contests, while backing up Bo Ruud.

LINCOLN – The Nebraska football team continued its preparations leading up to the Dec. 28 Alamo Bowl matchup against Michigan Tuesday with a two-hour practice inside Cook Pavilion.

Defensive Coordinator Kevin Cosgrove addressed the media following the workout, mostly covering the topic of which Husker will replace injured WILL linebacker Bo Ruud, who suffered a broken arm during Sunday’s practice.

Cosgrove said that sophomore Lance Brandenburgh has been named the starter for the Alamo Bowl, while freshman Jeff Souder will move into the top backup position. Cosgrove said that Brandenburgh is more than capable of filling the starter’s role, as he challenged for the starting nod during fall camp before suffering an injury.

“We have been very fortunate that no matter what the situation was this year, our guys stepped up, and I fully expect Lance to do the same thing,” Cosgrove said. “Lance would have been in the mix from day one had he not been injured. He is a good football player.”

The Huskers should feel fortunate to be in a position where they can insert an athlete of Brandenburgh’s caliber into the starting lineup following an injury, Cosgrove said.

“We don’t have to worry about what we are doing, because we have a guy that has a lot of ability, has good football intelligence and is a physical guy that is very athletic,” Cosgrove said. “We are very fortunate to be in that position, considering I don’t think there are many schools in the country that lose three starting linebackers in one year and still have backups come in and give you what you need.”

In the event that NU needs to use a third-string player at the position, sophomore starting MIKE linebacker Corey McKeon will move over to WILL, and freshman Phillip Dillard will play in the middle. Cosgrove added that McKeon has the ability to play all three positions, if necessary.

HUSKERS MOVE INSIDE CHAMPIONSHIP INDOOR CENTER...

Courtesy: Scott Bruhn/NU Media RelationsNebraska practiced inside the Cook Pavilion on Friday afternoon as preparations continued for the Alamo Bowl.Nebraska continued its practice for the Alamo Bowl with a two-hour workout on Friday afternoon, and for the first time in a full team practice the Huskers utilized the new Championship Indoor Center for the workout.

Husker players have been inside the building on several previous occasions for conditioning workouts and developmental practices, but had not had a full team workout in the Championship Indoor Center until Friday.

Defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove addressed the media following practice and discussed a Michigan offense that will present Nebraska with a stern test. He specifically discussed Wolverine sophomore quarterback Chad Henne.

“He was a freshman All-American last year,” Cosgrove said. “He is an outstanding quarterback. He has a strong arm and gets the ball out quickly.”

Cosgrove also compliment Michigan wide receiver Jason Avant, who leads the team with 74 receptions, calling the senior a “big-time receiver”.

Nebraska will continue its early preparations for the Dec. 28 Alamo Bowl against Michigan this weekend. The Huskers will work out early Saturday afternoon and will hit the practice field again on Sunday, before taking Monday off. Nebraska is set to depart for San Antonio on Friday, Dec. 23.

===========HUSKERS IN THE NFL: WEEK 15...

Houston place-kicker Kris Brown was 3-for-3 on field goals and connected on all three of his extra point attempts.Week 15 of National Football League action was highlighted by dominant performances from a former Husker specialist and several former Blackshirts.

Houston place-kicker Kris Brown was 3-for-3 on field goals and connected on all three of his extra point attempts, as the Texans defeated the Cardinals, 30-19. Brown connected on field goals of 26, 27 and 41 yards in helping Houston earn its second victory of the season. Offensive tackle Zach Wiegert started for the Texans in the win.

Defensive end Grant Wistrom recorded four tackles in Seattle’s 28-24 win over Tennessee. Place-kicker Josh Brown connected on all four of his extra point attempts for the Seahawks while missing on his only field goal try. Titans' defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch recorded two tackles in the losing effort. Vanden Bosch’s season sack total remained 12.5, a figure that places him tied for second among the NFL leaders in that category. With its 10th consecutive win, Seattle improved to 12-2 on the year and clinched a first-round bye in the playoffs.

Tampa Bay rookie linebacker Barrett Ruud recorded three tackles in the Buccaneers’ 28-0 loss to the Patriots. Center Russ Hochstein logged his third straight start for New England in the win. The Patriots improved to a division-clinching 9-5 on the year with their third consecutive win, while the Buccaneers, 9-5, fell one game back on the Panthers for the NFC South Division lead.

Kansas City cornerback Eric Warfield recorded four tackles in the Chiefs’ 27-17 loss to the Giants. Offensive guard Will Shields recorded his 205th consecutive start for the Chiefs as Kansas City lost its second game in a row, falling to 8-6 on the year.

Defensive end Chris Kelsay had two tackles for Buffalo in the Bills’ 28-17 loss to the Broncos.

Cornerback DeJuan Groce started for St. Louis, recording two tackles and intercepting a third-quarter pass, in the Rams’ 17-16 loss to the Eagles.

Safety Mike Minter recorded five tackles and had a second-quarter interception that set up a field goal in the Panthers’ 27-10 win over the Saints. Carolina defensive end Mike Rucker recovered a fourth-quarter fumble in the victory. Rookie safety Josh Bullocks recorded six tackles for New Orleans in the loss. Carolina improved to a division-leading 10-4 on the season.

Vikings' cornerback Ralph Brown recorded one tackle in Minnesota's 18-3 loss to Pittsburgh. The loss was the Vikings' first in seven games, and dropped the team to 8-6 on the season.

Jets’ defensive end Trevor Johnson played but did not record any statistics in New York’s 24-20 loss to Miami.

Bengals' punter Kyle Larson punted once for 51 yards in Cincinnati's 41-17 win over Detroit. The win was Cincinnati’s fourth straight and improved the Bengals to a division-clinching 11-3 record. Lions’ fullback Cory Schlesinger had one reception for eight yards in the loss. Dominic Raiola started the contest at center for Detroit.

Rookie cornerback Fabian Washington recorded four tackles for Oakland in the Raiders’ 9-7 loss to the Browns.

Linebacker Scott Shanle recorded five tackles in the Cowboys’ 35-7 loss to the Redskins. With the loss, Dallas fell to 8-6 on the year.

Atlanta linebacker Demorrio Williams turned in another solid performance for the Falcons, recording six tackles during the Falcons’ 16-3 loss to the Bears. Williams' team-leading season tackle total is now 119, a figure that ranks eighth in the NFL. Safety Mike Brown was out injured in the Bears’ loss.

Overall, a total of 33 former Huskers are on NFL rosters, including three players on injured reserve and three players on NFL practice squads. A total of 27 former Huskers are currently on active rosters.

===========SHIELDS, BROWN NAMED TO PRO BOWL...

Courtesy: UNL Photographic ServicesShields will be making his 11th straight trip the Pro Bowl.Former Husker greats Will Shields and Mike Brown were honored with trips to the 2006 Pro Bowl when rosters were announced Wednesday. The game, which will pit the best players from AFC against the best from the NFC, will take place on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2006 in Hawaii.

Shields, an offensive guard for the Kansas City Chiefs, will be making his 11th straight trip the Pro Bowl, the record for the longest streak of Pro Bowl appearances in Chiefs’ history. Shields’ 11th overall selection to the Pro Bowl is also a franchise record for the most Pro Bowl or AFL All-Star game appearances in Chiefs history.

Shields has started 205 consecutive games, the second-longest active streak in the NFL, dating back to the second game of his rookie season in ‘93. Those 205 straight starts are also the third-longest streak in NFL history dating back to ‘70. He has also appeared in 206 games, ranking second in Chiefs history.

Brown, a strong safety for the Chicago Bears, returned after missing the final 14 games last season with a torn Achilles' tendon to lead the Bears’ secondary with 89 tackles. The sixth-year pro also has three interceptions, one of which he returned 41 yards for a touchdown against the Lions to extend his club record for career defensive touchdowns to six.

"He means quite a bit to our team," Bears’ Head Coach Lovie Smith said of Brown. "He's the quarterback of the defense back in the secondary, a spiritual and vocal leader who's a good football player. It's good to see that he's recognized that way."

Former Nebraska assistant coach Turner Gill has accepted the head coaching job at the University of Buffalo ..Gill will coach in the Mid-American conference where former NU head coach Frank Solich coaches Miami (OH.).READ STORY AT : http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/2080541.html

===========HUSKERS HONORED IN RETURN TO COLISEUM...

Courtesy: Scott Bruhn/NU Media RelationsThe Huskers were honored Sunday afternoon when they returned to Lincoln.Lincoln – The Nebraska volleyball team was welcomed home on Sunday, as a crowd of nearly 300 greeting Huskers following their NCAA runner-up finish in San Antonio.

The Huskers, who returned to Lincoln early Sunday afternoon, were escorted by a police escort to the Coliseum, where they were joined by fans and honored for athletic and academic accomplishments during the season, which included a 33-2 record, the Big 12 and regional title and the school’s third runner-up finish. Off the court, the program had two first-team Academic All-Americans and six academic all-Big 12 award winners.

Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman opened the ceremony by proclaiming the week of Dec. 18-24 to be “Husker Volleyball Week” across the state in honor of the Nebraska volleyball program.In addition to the proclamation, University of Nebraska Chancellor Harvey Perlman, who came down to San Antonio to watch Saturday’s championship match and present Melissa Elmer with her diploma, Athletic Director Steve Pederson, Head Coach John Cook and the Husker captains all addressed the crowd and thanked the crowd for its support throughout the season.

Cook noted that nearly 5,000 Husker fans that traveled down to San Antonio for the NCAA championships, while Christina Houghtelling spoke for the team congratulating Elmer and fellow senior co-captain Jennifer Saleaumua on outstanding careers.

“It is overwhelming,” Cook following the ceremony. “When they told us about the ceremony this morning, we thought it would just be a couple of people when we got back to the airport, but to have the University president, the chancellor and the governor here along with all of the fans shows that there was a lot of preparation and effort into this event. It takes the sting off of last night’s loss, and makes you feel honored to be a part of Nebraska Athletics.”

===========HUSKERS EARN NATIONAL RUNNER-UP FINISH...

Courtesy: Scott Bruhn/NU Media RelationsNebraska finished its season with a 33-2 record and the program's third NCAA Runner-up finish.San Antonio, Texas – Behind 15 kills from tournament MVP Christal Morrison, third-ranked Washington dashed top-ranked Nebraska’s hopes for a third national title with a 30-26, 30-25, 30-26 sweep of top-ranked Nebraska Saturday evening at the Alamodome.

Morrison’s 15-kill effort led the Huskies (32-1) to the school’s first national crown, while ending the Huskers’ season at 33-2 and the school’s third runner-up finish (also 1986 and 1990). The Huskers fell one win short of becoming only the third in NCAA history to go wire-to-wire at No. 1.

All-Americans Sarah Pavan and Jennifer Saleaumua paced Nebraska’s effort, as the duo combined for 28 kills on .450 hitting. Pavan totaled a match-high 16 kills on .429 hitting, while Saleaumua closed out a sterling career with 12 kills – one off her season high’s on .545 hitting and nine digs.

The match also marked the final appearance of three-time All-American Melissa Elmer, who had seven kills and five blocks as Nebraska was held to a season-low .185 hitting. Christina Hougtelling, who earned national player-of-the-year honors on Friday, was the third Husker to total double figures in kills with 10 kills, 11 digs and a career-high six blocks.

Pavan, Saleaumua and Houghtelling were each named to the championship all-tournament team.

Nebraska, which was out-hit for the first time in 2005, had more kills and blocks, out-blocking the Huskies, 14-13, behind nine blocks by middle blocker Tracy Stalls. The Huskers were done in by a rash of errors, committing 24 attack errors and nine service errors, compared to just one service miscue by Washington.

Washington took advantage of several Husker miscues in taking a 30-26 victory in the opener. Both teams held each other in check, as neither team hit over .100 while the two teams combined for 42 digs and 11 blocks. NU had seven blocks, including five by Stalls, but totaled only 12 kills and had eight attack errors and five service errors.

The Huskers started out slow, as the Huskies scored the first two points and forced a quick NU timeout. Nebraska regained itself with strong serving, using a 10-5 run to build a three-point lead on a Sarah Pavan ace, the third ace by Nebraska in game one. Leading 12-11, Washington took advantage of several Husker errors, as they scored four straight points to take a 15-12 advantage.

Nebraska kept trimming the deficit, pulling to within 21-19 after a block by Stalls and Houghtelling, but Washington responded with a 4-1 spurt to make it 25-20 after a Darla Myhre kill off an overpass. The Huskers fought back, pulling to within 27-25 off a Washington error, but could not get further into the Husky lead.

In game two, Washington’s offense came alive, as the Huskies out-hit Nebraska, .350-.196 in taking a 30-26 victory. Morrison did most of the damage for UW, totaling six kills and four blocks, as NU was out-blocked 5.5-2.0. Saleaumua and Pavan combined for 11 kills on 17 swings, as Saleaumua had six kills on eight swings.

Leading 6-5, Morrison led Washington on a 6-2 run with three kills and a block, as her kill gave the Huskies a 12-7 advantage. Nebraska battled back, pulling within 18-16 on a Houghtelling kill, but Morrison led UW to six straight points, as she totaled three kills and a block, including consecutive kills that made it 24-16 in favor of Washington.

Trailing 27-20, Saleaumua led the Husker comeback, as NU scored four unanswered points, including three off the serve of freshman Rachel Schwartz, to get within 27-24. That would be as close as Nebraska would get, as Washington closed out game two and took a 2-0 lead heading into intermission.

The Huskers came out swinging in game three as junior setter Dani Busboom sparked Nebraska to a 5-1 lead and forced Washington into taking a timeout. NU led 18-15, but Washington answered with three straight points, including consecutive kills by Morrison that tied the score. After the Huskies took their first lead of the game at 20-19, Nebraska fought back and took its final lead of the match at 23-22 on a kill from Pavan. The Huskies answered with three straight points and closed the game on an 8-2 run to claim their first-ever national championship.

Washington hit .237 as a team and was paced by Christal Morrison, who had 15 kills and was named Most Outstanding Player. Sanja Tomasevic and Brie Haggerty also finished in double figures, totaling 12 and 10 kills respectively. The sweep by the Huskies marked the first time since the 2002 season that NU had been swept and only the third time in Head Coach John Cook’s six years at NU.

========HUSKERS SWEEP SANTA CLARA IN NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS...

Courtesy: Scott Bruhn/NU Media RelationsMelissa Elmer led the Huskers in kills for the first time this season, posting a match-high 13 kills on just 17 swings.San Antonio – Senior All-American Melissa Elmer led three players in double-figure kills by pounding a match-high 13 kills on .647 hitting – tying for the fourth-best postseason mark in NU history – as the No. 1 Nebraska volleyball team advanced to the fifth championship match in program history with a 3-0 sweep of Santa Clara (30-24, 30-19, 30-21) in front of 7,931 fans at the Alamodome Thursday evening.

The Huskers will look for their third national title and first since 2000 on Saturday at 5 p.m. in a match televised live on ESPN2. The Huskers – backed by over 4,000 fans who made the trip and another 2,500 at the Devaney Center in Lincoln, will look to become only the third team in NCAA history to be ranked No. 1 from wire to wire.

Standing between Nebraska and the national championship is No. 3 seed Washington. While the Huskers (33-1) have lost only one match in 2005, the Huskies have also tasted defeat just once in compiling a 31-1 record. Both NU and UW have also swept all five of their NCAA Tournament opponents.

NU hit a blistering .449 on the evening Santa Clara (27-5) and dominated the net, winning the blocking battle 12.5 to 2. The .449 attacking percentage was Nebraska’s best in a postseason match since 1998 and just off the school postseason mark of .486 against Morgan State that season. The Huskers also out-dug the Broncos, 36-34, and held Santa Clara to .145 hitting.

Elmer’s 13 kills marked the first time that the first-team All-American had led the Huskers in kills, while Sarah Pavan and Christina Houghtelling had 11 and 10 kills, respectively, as both hit over .400 in the sweep, NU’s 26th sweep of the year.

The Huskers came out firing in game one, hitting .387 in the opener in posting a 30-24 victory. Houghtelling led the balanced attack with four kills, as five players recorded multiple kills in the opener, but Nebraska did most of its damage at the net. NU outblocked Santa Clara, 6-0, as Tracy Stalls and Melissa Elmer had three blocks apiece. The Huskers built a 9-4 lead after a Sarah Pavan kill, but Santa Clara came back with four straight to get within 9-8. Nebraska answered that run with four straight points, building a five-point lead. Trailing 19-14, Santa Clara used a 6-2 run to pull within 21-20, but would get no closer, as the Huskers ran off five straight points and took a 26-20 lead after a Saleaumua ace.

Just as they did in game one, the Huskers never trailed in the second game, hitting .484 in rolling to a 30-19 victory. Elmer shined offensively, drilling six kills and hitting .857, while Pavan had four kills in five swings. Leading 8-7, back-to-back kills by Tracy Stalls triggered an 8-2 run for Nebraska, giving the Huskers a seven-point cushion. Santa Clara whittled the lead to 16-11, but two kills by Elmer and a pair of hitting errors highlighted a 5-0 spurt that made it 21-11, as NU took a 2-0 lead into the locker room.

In the finale, the Huskers closed the match with a flourish, hitting .472 while holding the Broncos to just .146 hitting in a 30-21 win. Saleaumua had five of her seven kills in game three, while Elmer and Pavan had four kills apiece. Leading 12-10, the Huskers put the match away with an 8-1 run, taking a 20-11 lead on a Saleaumua kill. The Huskers led by as many as 11 points, the last at 27-16, and cruised to the nine-point win.

Anna Cmaylo led Santa Clara with 10 kills, while three other players had nine kills apiece.

With the win against Santa Clara, Nebraska tied Florida and Ohio for the Division I lead in wins with 33. Of NU’s 33 wins, 12 have been against ranked teams.

===========HOUGHTELLING EARNS NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD!!!!...

Courtesy: Scott Bruhn/NU Media RelationsChristina Houghtelling earned the AVCA National Player-of-the-Year award on Friday in San Antonio, Texas.San Antonio – The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced today that University of Nebraska junior Christina Houghtelling was named the 2005 AVCA Division I National Player of the Year.

The presentations were made at the AVCA All-America/Players of the Year Banquet in San Antonio. The banquet was held in conjunction with the AVCA Annual Convention.

Houghtelling ranks among the Big 12 leaders in hitting percentage and kills per game. She attacks at a .377 percentage with averages of 3.70 kills, 2.46 digs and 1.00 blocks per game. Houghtelling has hit .400 or better in 19 of 34 matches and was named MVP of the AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase and the NCAA Omaha Regional. She has led the team in kills 13 times this season, including a career-high 20 kills against Oklahoma, and has recorded five double-doubles in 2005.

One of three co-captains, Houghtelling has helped lead Nebraska to a 33-1 overall record, the Big 12 championship and the NCAA title match against Washington on Saturday. Nebraska has been the No. 1 team in the CSTV/AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll all season and is attempting to become the third team in the poll’s history to lead wire-to-wire.

She is the third Husker to earn AVCA Player-of-the-Year honors, joining Greichaly Cepero (2000) and Allison Weston (1995)

“It really is a great honor,” Houghtelling said. "I really wasn’t paying attention, but I wanted to hear who they said. When I heard Christina, I said ‘there is no way’ and when they said Houghtelling, I said ‘no, this is not happening.’ I would have never really expected this to happen in my life. It is a really great honor, and I am excited, but our main focus is on the team and helping us win a national championship, and that is what I want to do.”

Houghtelling, an elementary education major with a 3.90 grade-point average, was named to the 2005 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America First Team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. She is a two-time academic All-Big 12 selection.

Houghtelling competed on the USA Volleyball A-2 National Team this past summer. She traveled to Switzerland and competed in the Montreux VolleyMasters Tournament while competing for the A-2 team.

===========COOK NAMED NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR...

Courtesy: Shamus McKnight/Huskers.comNebraska's John Cook was named AVCA National Coach of the Year.

San Antonio, Texas – For the second time in six seasons, Nebraska Head Coach John Cook earned one of college volleyball’s highest honors, as he was named the Tachikara/AVCA Division I National Coach of the Year Thursday morning.

Cook has guided Nebraska to a 32-1 record and the school’s third national semifinal appearance in six years. He has led Nebraska to the school’s first national semifinal appearance since 2001, while capturing the Big 12 title with a 19-1 mark. Nebraska, which has been ranked No. 1 the entire season, has played 13 matches against nationally ranked teams and has compiled a 5-0 mark against teams in the top five.

"It is a reflection of Nebraska volleyball and the program, and not about one person or one player.” Cook said. “I know this award is based on what we did at the AVCA Showcase and Regionals. We really raised the bar for volleyball in this country and that is rewarding. It was also exciting to see how many former players who are in coaching here at this banquet. That shows we are doing a great job of providing a positive experience to players, and they are staying in volleyball and giving back to the sport of volleyball.”

After running a 5-1 offense in 2004, the Huskers made the switch to a 6-2 offense and are ranked in the top eight nationally in blocking (4.10, 1st), hitting percentage (.324, fourth), kills per game (17.13, fourth) and assists per game (15.68, eighth) entering tonight’s semifinal against No. 11 Santa Clara. Five players average more than two kills per game, while NU’s team hitting percentage is the second-highest in school history and highest since 1986.

Cook played an instrumental role in getting the AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase to Omaha, where it drew two crowds of over 10,000 per game. Omaha, with strong backing from Nebraska, hosted a NCAA Division I Tournament regional and the crowds averaged 14,804 per night, including an NCAA volleyball postseason record attendance of 15,119 fans in the Elite Eight round.

“We’re trying to be a leader in the sport,” Cook said. “We’re trying to take risks and dream big, and fortunately I’m surrounded by a lot of people that have that vision. I’m really proud of what we’re doing to try and enhance the sport.”

Cook earned the Tachikara/AVCA Division I National Coach of the Year award also in 2000 during the Huskers last NCAA Division national championship season. He holds a 347-85 overall record, including a 186-12 record in six years at Nebraska. Cook has been honored as Big 12 Coach of the Year twice, and Big Ten Co-Coach of the Year once during his tenure at Wisconsin. He led the Badgers from 1992-1998 with a 161-73 record.

With Cook at the helm of the Nebraska volleyball program, the Huskers have produced one Olympian, one AVCA Division I National Player of the Year, one NCAA Top Eight Award winner, one AVCA Division I National Freshman of the Year, one Honda Award winner, 17 AVCA All-Americans, one CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year, seven CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, three Big 12 Players of the Year and three Big 12 Co-Players of the Year.

==========30 HUSKER ATHLETES EARN DEGREES LAST SATURDAY...

A talented collection of 30 University of Nebraska student-athletes, including 10 current members of the Nebraska football team, will earn their degrees during winter commencement ceremonies on Saturday at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.Among the 10 current Nebraska football players to earn their degress on Saturday are starting defensive tackles Titus Adams (Omaha, Neb.) and Le Kevin Smith (Macon, Ga.), starting strong safety Daniel Bullocks (Chattanooga, Tenn.), starting punter Sam Koch (Seward, Neb.), and starting offensive tackle Seppo Evwaraye (Laurel, Neb./Vassa, Finland). Other Huskers who will earn their diplomas while also preparing for Nebraska’s showdown with Michigan in the Alamo Bowl, include Tyler Fisher (Anselmo, Neb.), Jake Peetz (O’Neill, Neb.), Gary Pike (Pueblo, Colo.), Joey Robison (Bertrand, Neb.) and Mark LeFlore (Omaha, Neb.). LeFlore completed his undergraduate work in just three-and-a-half years.Three other former football letterman, including Philip Bland (Lafayette, Colo.), John Martin (Wahoo, Neb.) and Shane Siegel (Grand Island, Neb.), will earn their degrees as well on Saturday to bring the total number of graduates to 13 for the football program.Nebraska volleyball All-American Melissa Elmer (Fort Wayne, Ind.) also added her name to the list of graduates, while leading the Huskers to the NCAA Championship match in San Antonio, Texas, Saturday. Former Husker Ally Rebholz (Indianapolis, Ind.) will also receive her diploma. The Nebraska track and field program has a strong contingent with five graduates, including Eric Rasmussen (Seward, Neb.), Tommy Donlin (Seattle, Wash.), Matthew O’Brien (Lexington, Neb.), Christi (Lehman) Krug (Newton, Kan.) and Jamie Senkbile (Central City, Neb.).The Nebraska baseball team added four former Huskers to the list of graduates, including Aaron Marsden (Grand Fork, N.D.), Scott Fries (Grand Island, Neb.), Mike Sillman (Omaha, Neb.) and Darren Hoffart (Omaha, Neb.).The Nebraska men’s gymnastics team contributed three former competitors to the list of 30 graduates with Steven Friedman (Johannesburg, South Africa), Josh Rasile (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Adam Tietze (Spring, Texas) earning degrees.Former Nebraska men’s basketball player Corey Simms (St. Louis, Mo.), former NU soccer player Breanna Boyd (Calgary, Alberta, Canada), and former men’s tennis player Jose Rivera (Atizapan, Mexico) will also take home their degrees to round out the list of Husker December graduates.Nebraska’s 30 December graduates come from 11 states across America, in addition to four foreign countries."I admire each one of these student-athletes for the way they have balanced school with competition," Nebraska Associate Athletic Director for Academic Programs and Student Services Dennis Leblanc said. "These 30 graduates add to Nebraska’s great tradition of academic and athletic excellence. These student-athletes have come from all around the United States and the world to get the highest quality of education while competing in athletics at the highest level. The athletic department, the University and the entire state of Nebraska should be proud."Nebraska continues to feature one of the highest graduation rates in the nation with an exhausted eligibility graduation rate of 91 percent.===========TRACKING SANTA CLAUS THIS CHRISTMAS EVE...This great website is courtesy of NORAD, those folks who are in Cheyenne Mountain keeping watch for bad things and controlling the nation's satellites around the globe. And for the last 50 years they also track old St. Nick for a couple of nights every year (test flights on Thanksgiving for the big parades you know). Good fun for your kids and grandkids!

Christmas in NebraskaWhen it's Christmas in Nebraska,And the gentle breezes blow,About seventy miles an hourAnd its fifty-two below,You can tell you're in Nebraska'Cause the snow's up to your butt.And you take a breath of Christmas airAnd your nostrils both freeze shut.The weather here is wonderful,So I guess I'll hang around,I could never leave Nebraska--......

'Cause my feet are frozen to the ground!

====And here is another one that should be a warning to all football fans out there...don't make any silly statements like this until the bowl games and playoffs are over!

A man and his wife were sitting in the living room and he said to her, "Just so you know, I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle. If that ever happens, just pull the plug."So his wife got up, unplugged the TV and threw out all of his beer.===========

You can vote once each day for your favorite mascot. Be sure to tune in January 2, 2006(1 pm ET on ABC) when the Capital One National Mascot of the Year will be announced during the 2006 Capital One Bowl .

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You can vote once each day for your favorite mascot. Be sure to tune in January 2, 2006(1 pm ET on ABC) when the Capital One National Mascot of the Year will be announced during the 2006 Capital One Bowl .

You will receive a confirmation message following your submission. Thanks for voting for your favorite mascot! * (Text Messaging cannot be utilized with US Cellular service or T-Mobile) Normal rates apply.